CompAmerica has announced a free operating system option for its PCs that it claims “bears a reasonable resemblance” to Microsoft Windows XP and can cohabitate with Microsoft Windows XP on the same PC. The free operating system, called: “AX5,” which CompAmerica says “very much resembles Microsoft Windows XP.” The new operating system includes a graphical user interface that CompAmerica claims very much resembles it’s Windows ®counterpart. AX5 comes bundled with a full featured, built-in Office Automation package that can read and modify Microsoft Word 2003 documents with full word processing like Microsoft Word , a Browser similar to Internet Explorer called “Mozilla,” and high end Video, Music Media Players. AX5 also includes built in advanced security, built in auto-configuring networking, network sharing and wireless support. It comes with a vast library of web downloadable 2000 3rd-party applications ranging from Multimedia to Business Applications to Development tools, very similar to or equivalent to those found in the Microsoft Windows community.
Company Chairman, Dr. Jack A. Shulman said in a statement, “While we are traditionally a Microsoft Windows oriented PC company, we have been selling other systems since the first day of our company’s existence. We see a cost savings opportunity for those who have limited budget, and need robust Word Processing, Spread Sheets, the Internet, Email, Instant Messaging and Databases. AX5 is quite robust, since all of these features come standard with it. It plays videos, DVDs, Macromedia presentations, you can even load Apache Stronghold on it because it is 100% Linux and Unix compatible, as well as compatible with the Windows XP file system, NTFS. You can load Windows XP and run AX5 right from the CDROM on your CompAmerica PC, directly accessing your XP/NTFS drive, then switch back into XP mode, with a simple restart. AX5 is fast, providing Open GL graphical quality at resolutions of 1680×1200 and 1920×1280 on ordinary 17 and 19 inch CRTs and Flat Panels. Our Phoenix 64 PC at $299 with any APG4x/8x or PCI-express Video adapter will run AX5 right off the distribution CD with no installation necessary.”
CompAmerica indicated that AX5 will run on all CompAmerica PCs with few exceptions. An enhanced version, AX6, would be made available in the next few months bundled with Apache Stronghold, NFS, and MYSQL Database manager for use in high performance, low cost server form-factors. It also indicated it would be adding more features to the AX series so that low end PC buyers could obtain them on a smaller budget.
A spokesperson added that CompAmerica’s VideoC/++ and a Java Development system, as well as multimedia development from Apple and Real Networks are available for AX5, along with 2000 other applications from its 3rd Party Catalog, available for a modest annual maintenance subscription. CompAmerica indicated that it expected most users would also opt to purchase Windows Media Center 2005 for their PCs, and is offering a bundle of both AX5 and Microsoft Windows Media Center 2005 along with a plug in TV Tuner and Remote Control for $199 extra, on all 3.0GHz and up CompAmerica PCs.
To order AX5 with any CompAmerica PC, Laptop or Server, simply add the word “AX5” to any telephone or web order.
More info: http://www.compamerica.com/press/
Steve Jobs on a popsicle stick. CompAmerica does many things. Check out their “Jaguar,” “Panther,” and “Tiger” personal computers here. They also offer “Jaguar” and “Panther” laptops, too. The “Tiger” laptop must still be in development. The even sell domain names. We’d tell you more, but, no kidding, we literally got scared while briefly poking around that website. Some of the PC case designs they sell have the potential to literally kill Jonathan Ive or at least blind him; for most of us lesser mortals, severe stomach discomfort could and probably will occur, so be careful. Good luck to all future AX5 operating system users!
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Can’t seem to find anything on it?
Where’s The Beef??!
This is a joke, right?? A holiday prank pulled by Apple Legal on Microsoft Legal??
Don’t click on the link if you’re running windows. If you click on the Jaguar link, you won’t be able to use your navigation bars to exit the page. At least I wasn’t able to. I had to do the Cntrl/Alt/Delet thing to get the page off my computer.
Thhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrpppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The day after I bought AX4 they come out with AX5!
Happens every time.
Geez MDN. Give them credit for trying something different
APPLE AND WINDOWS ARE DEAD!!! ALL HAIL COMPAMERICA!!! STEVE AND BILL JUST RETIRED AND SHUT DOWN THEIR OFFICES!!! OH NO!!
Sounds like they’ve bolted together (or used someone elses) a Linux distribution with Mozilla, OpenOffice, MPlayer and a few other things.
Not sure how this is of interest to Mac Users?
ohh gawd where’s the humanity. they should have named them slap-in-the-box, or crap-in-the-box. i cant figure which is more fitting. i guess junk is junk whatever you want to market it as. sort of like that movie “tommy boy”. “I could sh*t in a box and stamp it guaranteed” lol.
I went to the site and I think that the hardware ain’t that great or good looking. Apple’s ID has spoiled me.
As for the OS, it’d have to be mega killer to even come close to OS X.
Wow! These guys make even Microsoft look innovative. They seem to be copying Apple, Dell, Castle Creations, CompUSA, Harry Potter, and AMC, and that’s just on the first page!
Not to mention the horrible web page. The top frame is left justified and the bottom frame is center justified? Interesting choices.
MDNW: “why”. Why indeed!
???
So here’s a thought experiment. If the “look and feel” lawsuit against Microsoft was settled in Microsoft’s favor, does that mean that the “look and feel” of a Microsoft imitator is also protected from Apple pursuing them?
Also, where do they have the funds and resources to develop all those “high end” media and database applications that come “free” with this “inexpensive” alternative to Windows?
Good luck is right.
Could their website & products be uglier? Geesh!
Wow, it comes with everything except for a few things… do you need these things in a computer anyway? Probably just fluff that other companies put in there to jack up the cost…
“Based on Enhanced Mainboard Logic, that includes all functional parts but for the CPU, VIDEO ADAPTER, MEMORY and PERIPHERAL DEVICES”
[what a freakin’ hoot!]
Their web page design makes their computers look worthy of display in the MOMA.
More linux means more standards compliant software. Nice one CompAmerica. I salute you.
P.S. Now go redesign that awful excuse for a website.
yeah… The web site’s as pretty as their machines. I’m ditching my G5 right now.
Anybody want a Book PC?
http://www.compamerica.com/bookpc775/
My Magic Word should be garbage, but it is in fact eye.
the market is for ANYTHING better than Windows.
But not this!
I didn’t see any info on AX5 operating system. Just a big catalog of PC stuff. They need to display all the features of this fairy tale operatings system for anyone to take them seriously. Microsoft will probably take them to court.
If AX5 “bears a reasonable resemblance” to Microsoft Windows XP, then it is a clunky, junky, incomplete shadow of a copy of OS 9. In a word, it must really “suck.”
Their hardware does look better than Dell’s, but not by much and the specs are not that great when you look at the total system.
BUT you have to give these guys high marks for trying. That’s much more than can be said for Dell or Gateway and the rest.
And their website is very ugly, can tell right off that it was made on a Windows box.
The artistry of it..
..pure poetry.
I personally think these kinds of things are good for Apple.
“Anything but Windoze” should be our rallying cry – OS X, Linux, other Unix variants, and now AX5 – it doesn’t matter. Anything but Windoze.
I see they have trade marked their Tiger and Panther brands.
Can we expect Apple to be slapped with a writ for flagrant plagiarism??
Can Apple never come up with original ideas and designs?? I’m mean have you seen how Apple ripped off the latest Creative iPod killer?
Where did they find Jonathan Ive??
So many mysteries.
My Enemy’s Enemy is my Friend?
Hmmm, That is the route Steve took with Bill against IBM.